China Visa Requirements 2026: Visa-Free Entry and L Visa Guide

Many travellers can now visit mainland China without a visa: as of October 2026, ordinary passport holders from 50 countries, including the UK, Canada, Australia and most of the EU, can stay up to 30 days visa-free under China's unilateral policy, which currently runs until 31 December 2026. Others may qualify through a mutual visa exemption agreement or the 240-hour visa-free transit scheme. Everyone else, including US and Indian citizens on a straightforward holiday, needs a tourist (L) visa arranged before travel.

Who needs a visa for China?

China has several overlapping entry routes, and the right one depends on your nationality, how long you want to stay and where you fly next. Work out which applies to you before booking anything.

Unilateral visa-free entry: ordinary passport holders from 50 listed countries can stay up to 30 days for tourism, business, visiting family or friends, exchanges or transit.
Mutual visa exemption: citizens of countries with a bilateral agreement, such as Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the UAE, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Serbia, can enter without a visa for the stay set by that agreement.
240-hour visa-free transit: nationals of 57 countries, including the United States, can spend up to 10 days in designated regions if they are travelling onward to a third country or region.
L visa: needed by everyone who does not fit the routes above, and by anyone on a visa-free route who wants to stay longer than allowed.

Visa-free entry never covers work, study or journalism. Those activities need the correct visa obtained before you travel.

The unilateral 30-day visa-free list

The National Immigration Administration's list, dated 17 February 2026, covers 50 countries. In Europe it includes Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Outside Europe, the list includes Australia and New Zealand; Bahrain, Brunei, Japan, Kuwait, Oman, South Korea and Saudi Arabia; and Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Peru and Uruguay.

The 30 days are counted from midnight at the start of the day after you arrive. The UK and Canada joined on 17 February 2026, with an end date of 31 December 2026, which is also the end date announced for the wider group. Russia's arrangement has been extended separately to 31 December 2027. At the time of writing no extension into 2027 had been announced for the other countries, so if you are travelling in January 2027 or later, check the current position before booking.

Mutual visa exemption agreements

Mutual agreements are permanent treaties rather than time-limited trials. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs consular service publishes the full table, showing which passport types each agreement covers. For ordinary passports, the list includes countries such as Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the UAE, Qatar, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Fiji, Barbados and the Bahamas, among others.

Permitted stays differ from one agreement to another, and some agreements cover only tour groups or certain passport types. Check your country's line in the official table rather than assuming 30 days.

The 240-hour visa-free transit

This scheme suits people visiting China on the way somewhere else. Since 20 August 2026 it covers 57 countries, after Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam were added, and it can be used at 65 designated ports across 24 provinces, regions and municipalities, including Beijing and Shanghai.

You must hold an ordinary passport from an eligible country.
You must hold a confirmed onward ticket, with a fixed date, to a third country or region. Flying back to the place you came from does not count.
You may stay up to 240 hours and must remain within the permitted areas, though you can cross provinces inside those areas.
Tourism, business and family visits are allowed; work, study and reporting are not.

A separate 24-hour transit rule lets most nationalities stay airside, or in the port's restricted area, without a visa. Hainan Province also has its own 30-day visa-free entry for 61 countries, valid only within Hainan.

Options compared

Unilateral visa-free: up to 30 days, no onward-ticket rule in the policy text, whole country, ends 31 December 2026 for most listed countries.
Mutual exemption: stay set by each treaty, no expiry date, but passport-type conditions apply.
240-hour transit: up to 10 days, designated areas only, onward ticket to a third country required.
L visa: duration and number of entries decided by the consulate, needed for longer stays or if you are not eligible for the routes above.

When an L visa is needed

You need an L visa if your nationality is not on any visa-free list, if you plan to stay longer than your exemption allows, or if your trip does not fit the transit rules, for example a return flight to the same country you came from. US citizens on a simple round trip, for instance, are not covered by the unilateral list and normally need a visa.

Document checklist

Passport valid for at least six months, with at least two blank visa pages, plus a copy of the data page.
Completed online application form and a recent colour photo with a white background, uploaded during the application.
Return or onward flight booking and hotel reservations covering the whole stay, or an invitation letter from a person or organisation in China.
If inviting, the inviter's details and a copy of their Chinese ID or foreign passport and residence permit, as the centre specifies.
Proof of legal residence if you are applying outside your country of nationality.
Previous Chinese visas and, for former Chinese citizens, the old Chinese passport.
For children under 18, parental consent, parents' identity documents and a birth certificate.

Requirements are set by each embassy or consulate, so read the L visa page for your own visa centre before uploading.

Fees

As of October 2026, China does not publish one global fee. The consular fee depends on your nationality and the number of entries, and some nationalities pay a reciprocal rate. Visa Application Service Centres add their own service fee, with extra charges for express processing. Check the fee page of the centre where you apply; at some centres payment is still taken in person, by cash or card, rather than online.

Step-by-step: applying for an L visa

Confirm you actually need a visa by checking the unilateral, mutual and transit lists on official sites.
Find the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre, or the embassy or consulate, that serves your place of residence.
Create an account on the centre's online system, complete the application form and upload your passport, photo and supporting documents.
Wait for the online review. If documents are rejected, correct them and resubmit.
Once approved, print the confirmation and take it with your original passport to the centre, booking an appointment if your centre requires one.
Give fingerprints if required and pay the visa and service fees.
Collect your passport, or arrange return delivery where offered, and check the visa details carefully.

Fingerprints are not needed for under-14s, over-70s and some repeat applicants. Several centres have also temporarily waived fingerprints for short-term visas; one UK centre's waiver runs to 31 December 2026, but check your own centre's notice.

Timing

Standard processing at the centres is usually a few working days after you submit in person, with express options at extra cost, but times vary by location and the consulate may ask for more information or an interview. Apply several weeks before departure and avoid peak periods such as Chinese New Year and the October holiday.

Arrival card and entry

Since 20 November 2025 foreign visitors can complete China's arrival card online before travelling, through the National Immigration Administration website, the NIA 12367 app or WeChat and Alipay mini programs. Those who have not done so can complete it on arrival by QR code, at a self-service device or on paper. Some travellers, such as 24-hour airside transit passengers and permanent residence card holders, are exempt.

Common refusal and entry problems

Assuming you are visa-free when your country is not on the current list, or travelling after an end date has passed.
Using 240-hour transit with a return ticket to the same country, or leaving the permitted areas.
Overstaying, including miscounting the 30-day or 240-hour limit.
Hotel or flight bookings that do not cover the whole stay, or details that do not match the application.
Invitation letters missing required details or the inviter's ID.
Undeclared dual nationality or former Chinese nationality.
Planning to work, study or report on a visa-free entry or L visa.

Frequently asked questions

Do UK citizens need a visa for China?

Not for stays of up to 30 days for tourism, business, family visits, exchanges or transit. UK ordinary passport holders were added to the unilateral visa-free list from 17 February 2026, currently until 31 December 2026.

Do US citizens need a visa for China?

Usually yes for a regular holiday. The United States is not on the unilateral 30-day list, but US citizens can use the 240-hour visa-free transit if they fly on to a third country or region.

How long can I stay in China without a visa?

Up to 30 days under the unilateral policy, up to 240 hours under visa-free transit, or whatever your country's mutual exemption agreement allows.

Can I extend a visa-free stay in China?

Plan to leave within your permitted period. If something unexpected keeps you in China, contact the local exit-entry administration before your stay expires rather than overstaying.

Is the China visa-free policy ending in 2026?

The unilateral policy is currently set to end on 31 December 2026 for most listed countries, while Russia's runs to 31 December 2027. China has extended it before, so watch for official announcements.

Do I need an invitation letter for a China tourist visa?

No. You can show flight and hotel bookings for the whole trip instead. An invitation letter is an alternative if you are staying with friends or family.

China's entry rules have changed several times since 2024 and may change again at the end of 2026. Before you book, confirm your eligibility and dates on the National Immigration Administration site, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs consular service, your local Chinese embassy or consulate, and the official visa centre for your area.